


Price Limit

by Dancerlittle



Series: Newsies Christmas Fics [10]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Bantering, Gen, Gift Exchange, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:33:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27825343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dancerlittle/pseuds/Dancerlittle
Summary: Jack pulls Katherine’s name in Secret Santa
Series: Newsies Christmas Fics [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2011879
Comments: 4
Kudos: 3





	Price Limit

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mony (Mony_Writes)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mony_Writes/gifts).



He eyed her from across the room. Of all the people he had to pick for his Secret Santa, he had to pick Katherine Plumber, big shot editor of the New York Times. He was a lowly cartoonist, one who had been at The Times for only 6 months. He was hesitant to even put his name in the drawing but his fellow cartoonist convinced him to do it, if only for getting something good from one of the big shots. 

His present for her was in his suit coat, but he had to get the nerve to go give it to her. “The longer you wait, the harder it’ll be. Besides, she’s standing all alone right now.” 

“How about I pay you $20 to go deliver it to her?” He asked, looking over at Ryan O’Malley, the cartoonist that shared his desk. 

Ryan laughed, holding out his hand. “It’ll cost you a lot more than $20 to go walk up to her. We’re scum of the earth to her.” 

“Chicken.” Jack chuckled, taking a deep breath. 

Ryan shook his head. “That’ll be you. Just go give it to her then you can leave and never see her again. Thank goodness we’re on a completely different floor than her.” 

Jack nodded, half listening to him, instead his eyes hadn’t moved from Katherine. “Alright, I’m going over there. Don’t watch.” 

Ryan patted his back, walking away, leaving Jack alone. He took a deep breath, slowly releasing it before making his way over to where she stood, all alone. Pulling the present from his suit coat, he paused a few feet away, willing his heart to quit beating so loudly before clearing his throat. “Uh . . Ms. Plumber?” 

He heard a sigh escape her mouth as she looked over her shoulder at him. “Katherine, please.”

“I’m Jack. It’s nice to actually meet you.” He held out the present. “Just wanted to give you the Secret Santa present.” 

Her eyes went wide at the present before accepting it. “Thank you. And what do you do at the Times, Jack?” 

“Cartoonist.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets, watching as she painfully slowly took the paper off the present. “I believe you once called us the scum of the earth.” 

A blush crossed her cheeks, as she looked from the present to him. “I’m sure you misheard me.” 

“I’m sure I didn’t.” Jack kept the grin on his face, as she opened the box. 

A gasp escaped her mouth as she pulled out the scarf he had painstakingly picked out for her. She was known for wearing scarfs around the office. “It’s stunning, but it’s too much. The price limit was 20 dollars!”

“I got a good deal on it.” He smiled, rocking back on his feet. “Besides, even the scum of the earth has eyes and knows a thing or two about fashion.” 

Letting her fingers rake over the smoothness of the scarf, a smile played on her lips. “Thank you; I apologize for calling the cartoonist, scum of the earth.” 

“Next time you need something drawn for the front of the paper, you know who to call.” He grinned, raising his eyebrows in a challenge. 

She nodded, putting the scarf back in the box, smiling. “And do you have a last name, Jack?” 

“Kelly.” He felt his cheeks warm up at her smile. 

Tucking the box into her bag, she nodded. “Well, Mr. Kelly, I’ll need to have a full look at your portfolio before I put you on the biggest newspaper in the world. Shall we meet for coffee tomorrow at 10?” 

It took everything in him for his jaw not to drop. “It would be my pleasure, Katherine. I look forward to meeting with you then.” 

And with a tip of his invisible hat, he made his escape. A grin crossed his lips as he thought about the inevitable Ms. Plumber. Somehow he had made an impression on her and he wasn’t going to blow that chance. 

She watched him walk away, very impressed by him. She thought he was going to be like every other employee, timid and shy to even talk with her. Jack, though, actually bantered with her and thoroughly surprised her. 

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback would be absolutely wonderful!


End file.
